Thursday, October 26, 2017

Had Enough of Waiting?

CATERED SHABBOS DINNER TONIGHT AT OUR NEW PREMISES
 Last 5 spots book HERE

Question of the Week:

I make Kiddush over wine every Friday night, but I would like to know a deeper meaning behind it. Is there some mystical ideas you can share that I can meditate on when I say the Kiddush?

Answer:

It all goes back to the very first Friday of history. Adam and Eve were created on Friday afternoon, the time when all last minute things get done, like making humanity.

On that first day, they were told not to eat from the fruit of one tree, the Tree of Knowledge. The mystics teach that this fruit was a grape vine, a fruit that contains the potential for great good and great evil. Over a glass of wine friendships are made and lost, lives are enhanced and destroyed, hopes are created and dashed. It is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

The prohibition was only to last until nightfall that day. Once Shabbos came in, they were allowed to eat from the fruit. Because Shabbos is holy. When holy people on a holy day have holy intentions, indulging in the fruit of the vine can do no harm.

Had they done what they were told, Adam would have made Kiddush on the juice of the Tree of Knowledge on that first Friday night. But they didn't wait until Shabbos. Eve squeezed the grapes, drank and gave Adam to drink too. And that was the cause of all the problems in the world ever since.

We correct this mistake by making Kiddush on Friday night over wine or grape juice. It reminds us that we can only enjoy the pleasures of this world if we can also defer our enjoyment. If you can wait, then you are the master of your desires. If you can't, then you are slave to them. The key to being a good person is the ability to control yourself. It starts with the way we eat, and extends to every choice we make.

Adam and Eve didn't wait. So the Torah tells us to learn how to wait. We wait between meat and milk. We wait to go to the mikvah. We wait for Kiddush so we can eat. And we wait for Moshiach, the ultimate Shabbos. May the waiting be over, so we can make Kiddush on the holy wine from the Garden of Eden.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

Sources:
Shach al Hatorah, quoted in Likkutei Torah Kedoshim 29a

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 

 


 
Here is a summary of what we have done since starting the Nefesh build last week:

1. All services have been cut

2. Site has been established, ie fencing up, signs up and protection for neighbouring properties established 

3. Deconstruction of roof and structure begun

4. Building completely stripped. All that remains are bare walls and the floor, as well as metal trusses on the roof to keep the building stable until complete demolition can begin.





A huge thanks to Gabi Rachamim of Hercules Demolition for generously donating his services


www.herculesdemolition.com.au
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW NEFESH POP-UP SHUL ADDRESS:
1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
 
SHABBOS SERVICES
Friday, 27 October 2017 | 7 Cheshvan 5778
Candle Lighting.............. 7:00pm (Earliest 5:59 pm)
Mincha...........................6:15pm
Shabbos Service............. 6:30-7:20pm 
Followed by Friday night dinner as part of The Shabbos Project (see flyer).
 
L'Chaim sponsored by Harry Kornfeld in honour of the Yortzheit for his father, Chaim ben Zvi Halevi  (Henry Kornfeld) on 8 Cheshvan- Long Life.
 
Shabbos Day, 28 October 2017 | 8 Cheshvan
In depth Parsha Class.......... 9:00am
Shabbos Service................ 10:00am-12:15pm
Kids program......................10:45am
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by David Milner in honour of his Bar Mitzvah anniversary, Mazal Tov!  
 
Mincha this week together with JNF, Bina, Or Chadash, JLC & Mizrachi Shul at a special Shabbos Project event .... from 4:45pm (see flyer below)
 
Shabbos ends .............. 7:59pm
 
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Shacharis @ Nefesh Pop-Up, 1 Francis St
Sunday........................ 8:00 am
Monday-Friday.............. 7:00 am
 
Latest Shema this week...9:17 am
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Lucia Meyer......... 8 Cheshvan/ Saturday 28 October
Iliana Lavecky.... 13 Cheshvan/ Thursday 2 November
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Rob & Lana Goldshaft ...14 Cheshvan/ Friday 3 November
 
LONG LIFE TO
Les Pozniak for his late mother
Elisabeth Pozniak... 9 Cheshvan/ Sunday 29 October
Stephen Etkind for his late sister 
Michelle Holzman ...11 Cheshvan/Tuesday 31 October
Diane, Ruth, David and Jonathan Shteinman
for their late husband and father Boris Shteinman
Boruch ben Eliazar...11 Cheshvan / Tuesday 31 October
Aron Kleinlehrer  for his late wife Helen Kleinlehrer,
Esther Bat Yaacov...12 Cheshvan/ Wednesday 1 November

To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here

 



 


Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Do You Know How to Embrace Change?

CATERED SHABBOS DINNER NEXT WEEK AT OUR NEW PREMISES
 very limited spots book HERE


Question of the Week:

I am confused. The shul has moved? Where to? What does this mean? I liked the shul as it was.....

Answer:

Change can be confronting. The human is a habit forming being, and breaking our habits is unsettling and scary and makes us feel vulnerable. And that's great.

Growth comes through shattering our old ways. Only by breaking ourselves and our mould can we become greater. I must at times step out of whatever defined me and find a new self-definition. Even G-d did that. 

Before creating the world, G-d contracted His infinite light to make space for existence. He hid away is infinite self to make way for our finite world. From that moment on, the rule is this: if you want to take a step forward, you have to give up the comfort of the way things are. Learning to let go and actually enjoy it is the only way to live a fulfiling life through all its twists and turns.

So yes, we have begun our building project. The shul is being demolished in order to build something bigger and better. While Roscoe St is under construction we will be holding services in Francis St. This is a change in habit, and our community will need to adjust to smaller premises in a different location. 

But in truth, it doesn't really matter where we are. What matters is who we are. What makes a community is the people. We can be in a big building or a small one, new or old one, as long as we are there, it is home.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss

A HUGE THANK YOU TO KARIN PUELS, BRENT MAKSIMOVICH, EZRI LERBA, and our amazing team of volunteers for making the impossible move possible!

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 
SHABBOS SERVICES & COMMUNITY INFO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW NEFESH POP-UP SHUL ADDRESS:
2 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH
(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)
 
Friday 20 October, 2017
Candle Lighting ............. 6:54pm (*Earliest 5:54pm)
Mincha ..........................6:15pm
Friday evening service .... 6:30pm
Followed by Celebratory Kiddush for the opening of Nefesh Pop-Up, sponsored by Brent and Simona Maksimovich
 
Shabbos 21 October, 2017
Morning service .................................. 10:00am
Children's Program .............................. 10:45am
Followed by Kiddush sponsored by Liran & Chelsea Lahav in honour of the birth of their baby boy, Noah Micah Lahav-  Mazal Tov!

Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......... 6:50pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak......... 7:10pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss.......... ..................7:20pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv.................. .... 7:52pm
Followed by Havdalah
 
WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES at Russian Chabad 25 O'brien St
Sunday ........................... 8:00am
Mon - Fri.......................... 7:00am
Latest Shema this week..... 9:22am
 
MAZAL TOV TO
Jonathan & Tahnya Seifman on the birth of a son!
Rabbi Chida & Rochel Levitansky on the birth of a son!
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
Tom Cromer......... 2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 October
Ayla Goldshaft...... 2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 October
Monique Klein... 3 Cheshvan/ Monday 23 October 
 
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO
Pia & Jonah Ink............. 2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 Oct
Sean & Dina Jacobson...... 5 Cheshvan/ Wed 25 Oct
Shaul & Vanessa Creighton 7 Cheshvan/ Fri 27 Oct 

LONG LIFE TO
Peppi Glick for his late father Ruby Glick...2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 October
Les Pozniak for his late step-mother Joan Pozniak Chai Bat Leah... 2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 October
Roy, Steven and Kim Eckowitz for their late mother Alma Eckowitz Chana bat Kalman... 2 Cheshvan/ Sunday 22 October
 
To make a donation for a birthday, an Aliyah, a Yahrzeit or anything else, 
please click here

 


Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Raining in the Sukkah

Question of the Week:

 If it rains during Sukkos, we don't have to sit in the Sukkah, correct? So why have I seen people who continue to sit in the Sukkah, even when it is pouring?

Answer:

Sitting in the Sukkah is the only mitzvah that if you're bothered by it, you're exempt from it. Usually, even if a mitzvah is hard, you have to do it. Like fasting on Yom Kippur. Some people are bothered by not eating or drinking for 25 hours. But you still have to do it. And yet if sitting in the Sukkah bothers you, like in wet weather, you can leave the Sukkah and eat inside the house. 

But many will never eat out of the Sukkah, no matter what the weather is. For them, eating inside in a dry home would bother them more than eating outside in a leaking Sukkah. When you understand what the Sukkah is, you'll see why.

The Sukkah is a holy space. You are sitting in a divine abode, under the heavens, with the stars shining down on you, surrounded by angels and the souls of our forefathers. Our sages teach that we are only worthy enough to enter the Sukkah straight after Yom Kippur, when our souls have been cleansed and we are at our spiritual peak. And the mystics say that the Sukkah may look like a hut made out of wood and branches, but in truth it is a made of holy names of G-d.

The weather may be a little unpleasant, it may be a little squashy in there, and your palm allergy may be flaring up. But the inner serenity, the love and feeling of connection with those around you, the sense of being embraced by G-d, all that should override any physical discomfort. If you're still not enjoying the Sukkah, then you're not really in the Sukkah in the first place, and you can go inside. But if you know what your missing, you won't want to leave.

There are moments when we are called upon to transcend the material world. Sitting in the Sukkah is one of those moments. A little rain, or even a lot, can't stop that.

Good Yomtov,
Rabbi Moss

NOTE: On the first night of Sukkos, even if it is pouring with rain, we make Kiddush and eat a piece of Challah in the Sukkah according to all customs.

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au 


ATTENTION TEEN BOYS 
to join soccer team call Mendel 0415157631

A PROJECT OF THE NEFESH BOCHRIM
NEFESH SUKKOS SERVICES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erev Sukkos
Wednesday 4 October 2017
Light Candles....... 6:42pm
(Remember Eruv Tavshilin)
Mincha ................ 6:45pm
Evening service .... 7:00pm
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Tom Moss, Ron Moss & Kathy Penn in honour of their father's yahrzeit Leslie Moss - Mordechai ben Aron Halevi a"h on 9 Tishrei- Long Life
 
First Day Sukkos
Thursday 5 October, 2017
Morning service ...  10:00am
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Peter Irving and Libby Moss in honour of the Yorztheits of their late great-grandmother, Leah Bernhardt  on 6 Tishrei/ 26 September, and late father Henry Irving, Tzvi ben Reuven on 20 Tishrei/ 10 October- Long Life
 
Light Candles ................................. after 7:38pm
Mincha .......................................... 6:45pm
Evening service............................... 7:00pm
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah
 
Second Day Sukkos
Friday 6 October, 2017
Morning service ..... 10am
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by Shirley Sher in honour of her father, Samuel Smulowitz Ben Chava's yortzheit on 15 Tishrei- Long Life. 
 
Candlelighting...................... 6:43pm (*Earliest 5:46pm)
Friday Night Evening Service.. 6:30pm
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored in honour of the Bat Mitzvah of Lila Greenberg- Mazal Tov!
 
Shabbos Chol HaMoed Sukkos
Shabbos, 7 October, 2017
Shabbos Morning Service...... 10:00am- 12:20pm
Children's program.............. 10:45am
Followed by Kiddush in the Sukkah sponsored by the Assouline family
 
Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishis ......  6:40pm
Gematria and story by Rev Amzalak....... 7:00pm
Shiur with Rabbi Moss........................... 7:20pm
Shabbos ends and Maariv.......................7:40pm
Followed by Havdalah
SIMCHAS TORAH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the highlights of the Nefesh year is Simchas Torah, this year on Thursday night October 12 and Friday October 13.

Thursday 7:15pm Evening service
Huge Kiddush, Dancing, Somersaults, Festive meal, Dancing.

Friday 10am Morning service
Huge Kiddush, Dancing, Ending and beginning Torah, Festive Meal.

Special honours for the day:
Chosson Torah (last call up of the entire Torah) $1800 SOLD
Chosson Bereishis (first call up of the new reading) $900 SOLD
Chosson Kol Hanearim (call up with all the children) $770 SOLD
Chosson Maftir (final call up of the day) $360 SOLD
Hagbaah x2 (lifting the Torahs) $180 AVAILABLE
 
We are doing a second Kids Hakofos and Torah reading on the afternoon of Simchas Torah. Honours available:
Chosson Torah (last call up of the entire Torah) $500 AVAILABLE
Chosson Bereishis (first call up of the new reading) $500 AVAILABLE
 
Whiskey/Vodka sponsors: $50/$80/$120
Kiddush sponsors: $180 x 10

For any of the above email office@nefesh.com.au now

THIS NEWSLETTER PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

Nefesh Shul, 54 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Australia
Sent by rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au in collaboration with
Constant Contact